Spenser's English Rivers. 73 



Oxford, though in stanza 25, by mention of the Cherwell, whose 

 mouth is in the lower end of Oxford, the river is there the Isis. 



And eke he somewhat seem'd to stoupe afore 

 With bowed backe, by reason of the lode 

 And auncient heavy burden which he bore 

 Of that faire city, wherein make abode 

 So many learned impes, that shoote abrode, 

 And with their braunches spred all Britany, 

 No lesse then do her elder sisters broode." 



In Saxton's map the courses of the Isis near Oxford are 

 shown more in a southeasterly than a southerly direction, as 

 on the modern maps. Oxford is represented by a group of 

 towers, and the effect of the whole is exactly that of a laboring 

 back bent under the 'auncient heavy burden' of the 'faire city,'^^ 



In stanza 28 Thames is crowned with towers, that is, with 

 Troynovant or London. The idea is obviously classical, but is 

 clearly illustrated in Saxton's way of indicating more important 

 cities, by crowded clusters of towers arranged coronet-wise.^® 

 His crown seems to mark him as the chief and king of the 

 attendant English rivers (cf. st. 30), illustrating Camden's 

 phrase, 'fluminum Britannicorum regnator' (ed. 1590, Glouces- 

 tershire, p. 281; cf. p. 173). 



Thames is attended by many little rivers, which 'owe vassal- 

 age to him' : 



The chaulky Kenet, and the Thetis gray, 



The morish Cole, and the soft sliding Breane, 



The wanton Lee, that oft doth loose his way, 



And the still Darent, in whose waters cleane 



Ten thousand fishes play, and decke his pleasant streame." 



These tributaries are named by Spenser in order of their 

 occurrence on the course of the Thames toward the sea. 

 'Chaulky Kenet' is obviously the Kennet, which joins the Thames 

 at Reading. Holinshed does not call it chalky, except to speak 

 of its 'taking the Chalkburne rill withall' (i. 85). Camden, 

 mentioning Marlborough on its upper waters, is not sure whether 



" St. 26. 



''For Cambridge as the 'elder sister', see below, p. 82. 



"• Cf. St. 34, I. 7. 



" St. 29. 



